The present invention relates to a turning lock or rotary valve assembly for use in regulating the flow of molten material, more particularly baths of molten material such as molten metal, wherein a rotor member in the form of a locking or sealing body is rotatably mounted in a stator member and has a flow opening that can be sealed by rotating the rotor member and which extends transversely through the rotor member.
During the use of such an assembly, and specifically upon a plurality of opening and closing movements in the presence of a molten material such as molten metal which is heated to an elevated temperature, the valve or sealing assembly must ensure sealing or tightness along the mutual contacting surfaces of the members in order to allow extended operation of the assembly without maintenance or exchange of the members thereof. This operational problem is aggravated by the fact that the members must not, under any circumstances, become jammed during operation, for example due to thermal expansion or relative displacements of the members, in a manner such that the assembly no longer can be opened or closed, even upon the application of a large amount of energy. Another problem relating to the operation of such assemblies is that at high operating temperatures the stator and rotor members, which are formed of heat resistant non-metallic material, are subjected to uncontrolled deformations and cannot be fixedly secured in a housing by means of known mechanical constructions.
British Patent No. 183,421 discloses an assembly which employs sand and coal above the rotor member. However, this is not practical when regulating the flow of certain molten materials, particularly molten metals, and more particularly light metals. Furthermore, there is the danger that the molten metal can enter the gap between the members that turn relative to one another, which gap will vary in size during operation due to relative heat expansion. This molten metal will solidify and subsequently block the movement of the rotor member.
West German Patent No. 2,043,588 discloses an assembly mounted on a container for liquid melts, in which a frusto-conical member is provided with an eccentric flow conduit extending in the longitudinal direction of the member. Such a construction can be used only for a freely discharging bottom spout, but cannot be used in situations such as where a pipeline or the like is rigidly connected to the discharge of a vessel or container or to the housing of the assembly.